Friday

A new survey by a group pushing for more technology access found more and more legislators are using the Internet and social networking sites such as Facebook to connect with constituents.

He won't be the next Fred Astaire, but Sen. Dave Syverson appears light on his feet in a local dance contest video posted on his political Web site.

Rep. Dave Winters sometimes gets grief for being on the Internet so much.

Sen. Larry Bomke prefers to do his interacting in more time-tested ways.

State lawmakers within the GateHouse Media territories are all over the map when it comes to how they use technology as part of their jobs.

A new survey by a group pushing for more technology access found more and more legislators are using the Internet and social networking sites such as Facebook to connect with constituents.

Some lawmakers have embraced the e-bandwagon, while others aren't fully sold on it yet. But overall, legislators say technology is becoming a bigger part of their public-service lives.

"It is amazing how far we have come in the 14 years I have been in the Senate," said Bomke, a Springfield Republican. "When I first came into the Senate, we didn't even have personal computers."

Members of the General Assembly who participated in the Illinois Technology Partnership survey unanimously agreed that technology has changed their lives, and almost 80 percent said they could not imagine living without a computer or cell phone.

About half of the legislators polled use social network Web sites like Facebook or MySpace. An additional 25 percent said they are interested in learning more about online social networks, while the rest dismissed the trend.

"The results of our survey show that Illinois legislators are recognizing that technology isn't a novelty, it's a necessity," said Aviva Gibbs, executive director of ITP.

On one end of the technology spectrum are lawmakers such as Syverson, whose grainy video clip showing him winning a 2008 dance contest shares the same cyberspace as his explanation of legislation making it easier for people to run for public office.

Syverson, R-Rockford, does have a Facebook account but said he doesn't use it to push his political agenda. Rather, Facebook allows him to stay in touch with friends and lets constituents know that he’s "a regular person, too."

"It kind of shows the human side of Dave Syverson," Syverson said.

Many lawmakers have embraced e-mail to connect with home.

"It has increased the amount of correspondence we receive because people feel more comfortable and find it easier to sit down at a computer and send a quick e-mail than to write a letter," Syverson said.

Rep. Rich Brauer, R-Petersburg, said he usually receives several dozen emails from constituents throughout the course of a day.

"We get a lot more e-mails than we do snail-mail at this point. Probably 90 percent of my constituent contact is coming through e-mail," Winters said.

Sen. Dave Koehler, D-Peoria, has also seen an increase in communication because of e-mail -- a welcome trend.

"If I had to rely on a phone call or a letter or even a meeting, that would probably cut down the volume of who I could interact with," Koehler said.

A self-admitted early riser, Koehler said e-mails also let him respond to people early in the morning during times when he wouldn't want to call or meet with someone.

Winters, R-Shirland, said constituents often e-mail him links to news stories they deem relevant.

"I don't read it all, but if it is of interest of me, I click it and, boom, I'm there," Winters said.

Along with constituent communication, the Internet helps lawmakers plug in more easily to new ideas and what's going on around the state. The ITP survey found more than 90 percent of legislators use the Internet and/or their cell phones to do research for their job and to check out current events.

"A lot of times there is a good idea already out there, so instead of recreating the wheel, we are able to go out and see what other states are doing and take off of those what we like," Brauer said.

But sometimes, being so connected has a down side.

"My wife asks, 'Why don't you talk to me? You're on that stupid computer reading e-mail all the time,’" Winters said with a laugh.

For Bomke and other legislators, the electronic revolution isn't a high priority.

"We probably haven't been as good as we should have," Bomke said.

But Bomke says he's trying to connect more with the online community.

Thanks to a push from his staff, Bomke said he will eventually be on Facebook, giving his constituents more information about his work for them.

But he doesn't see it replacing a more personal touch.

"It's easier for me to just pick the phone up and call people," Bomke said.

Syverson agrees that using technology doesn't replace more substantive contacts.

"My fear is the Internet or Facebook gives people just the frosting, no substance," Syverson said.

Andrew Thomason can be reached at Andrew.Thomason@sj-r.com.

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